1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved U-shaped shim, and more particularly to such a shim which may be stacked with other similar shims to provide a shim assembly of desired thickness and which is adjustable with respect to its length.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The shim of the present invention is substantially unlimited with respect to its use. The shim may be employed in substantially any circumstance where it is desired to level something such as machinery or the like to to provide proper spacing between two adjacent elements.
Prior art workers have devised numerous types of shims and shim assemblies. In some instances, the shims or shim assemblies are for specialized uses such as the shim assembly taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,772,596 which comprises a pair of cooperating tapered shim elements for the control of automobile camber and caster, one of the shim elements having break-away portions. U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,181 teaches an exemplary form of shim particularly adapted for use in the building industry.
The building or construction industry is a non-limiting, but excellent example of an industry making extensive use of shims. For example, in the installation of windows or doors, the openings for such windows or doors are purposely made bigger than the window or door frames and shims are used to fill the gaps and properly align and level the frames. Shims are also commonly used in the installation of ornamental iron work, ornamental aluminum work, travertine or the like to the exterior of buildings.
In recent years the construction industry has turned to extensive use of molded shims of high impact styrene or the like. Such shims, in their most common form, are non-tapered, planar, U-shaped shims. Such shims are usually available in a regular progression of thicknesses such as 1/16th inch, 1/8th inch, 1/4 inch, and the like. They are also most usually offered in two or more lengths. Still and all, it is frequently necessary to pre-cut such shims to appropriate length and the provision of shims in various thicknesses requires the maintenance of a large inventory of shims. For the convenience of the worker in the art, the various sizes of shims are often color coded.
The present invention is directed to an improved shim intended to obviate a number of the problems above. While the shim of the present invention may be made in various sizes and thicknesses, it lends itself well to being made in a single length and a single thickness. The legs of the shim of the present invention may be snap off at predetermined lines of weakening so that a number of different lengths may be obtained from one single shim shape. While the shim of the present invention may be made in various thicknesses, it lends itself well to being made in a single thickness with means provided on the shim to render it readily stackable with other similar shims to achieve the desired shim thickness, thus obviating the necessity of carrying a large inventory of different shims and having to identify them by color or shape.
The shim of the present invention may be provided with a handy snap-off handle portion for easy installation. The shim is easy to use, reduces installation time, and is balanced for both vertical or horizontal positioning. While the shim of the present invention may be made of aluminum, steel or the like, it is particularly adapted to be molded of high impact styrene or other appropriate plastic material.